Iowa's Boswell fends off Republican in House race

Boswell picked up the seat from the Republicans in 1996, in another close race, and became the only Democrat in the state's five-member delegation.

The GOP wanted the seat back this year and picked the conservative McKibben to challenge Boswell. From the start, McKibben ran an aggressive campaign, criticizing the incumbent for, among other things, being insufficiently supportive of free trade.

The candidates exchanged negative ads, each accusing the other of distorting their records on such issues as drug enforcement, Social Security and the death penalty.

Depressed farm prices were a worry for Boswell. In 1996 he won his seat with the backing of the Farm Bureau, an important Iowa constituency. But some farmers felt he betrayed them by refusing to support an extension of the president's "fast track" trade negotiating authority.

Facing tough re-election prospects, Boswell was one of the 31 Democrats who defected from the majority of his party and voted for the Republican plan for a free-ranging impeachment inquiry of President Bill Clinton.

Outside money was a factor in this race, with McKibben receiving contributions from such organizations as the Republican Party of New Mexico. Pro-Boswell television spots also were run by the nation's largest teachers union.